Somoto, Nicaragua -May 28, 2003
I have finally gotten around to writing after an over-extended period of time. Am doing well here in Nicaragua; rainy season has officially begun and everything is wet, lush, and green (including my laundered clothing which never gets the chance to dry). This past month I journeyed to Leon, arguably Nicaragua’s only ‘true’ city, with a lively central park, colourful Colonial churches and poignant revolutionary murals extending across its core.
While I was there, I visited the touching ‘Galeria de Hereos y Martires’, a tribute to numerous children who died during the Sandinista struggle against the Somoza government, and run by the mothers of the deceased. I also enjoyed the Ruben Dario museum (Nicaragua’s beloved politician, poet and initiator of the modernist movement).
Here in town, I co-hosted a department (equivalent to a province/ state) -wide heavy metal radio program,and spoke about the Montreal massacre (whereby 14 women were shot at the University). Have taken up boxing with a group of feisty Nica boys and enjoy taking out my frustrations with machismo at its source. Also visited the nearby Rio Limon where I saw an enormous Masacate, one of Nicaragua’s most poisonous snakes, as well as giant Mimosa (or ‘sensitive plant’) bushes whose leaves curled like dominoes when Istroked them, and held furry violet flowers omitting a lovely perfume. To add a little more spice to small-town life, there was a lunatic waving around a loaded gun half a block from my house the other morning.
This past weekend I went on an overnight horseback riding trip in Miraflor, a cloudforest nature reserve. The excursion was run by a cooperative of rural Nicaraguans and we stayed a farmhouse high up in the mountains. Enjoyed touring an old Mayan village as well as viewing wild orchids and an enormous hollow parasitic tree. Did not, however, enjoy falling off my galloping horse onto my face (am now the proud owner of my first black eye).
Work is going well. I feel much more adapted to the culture although there will always be certain things I could never get used to. Case example: Yesterday I journeyed to the city of Esteli to research rural water filtration systems. While I was there I got hit on countless times by businessmen and engineers, all of the electricity in the entire city went out for the day, and my bus broke down on the way home so I had to wait for an hour outside in a thunderstorm in the middle of the mountains. In fact, at the moment, the electricity in Somoto just went out and I am unable to leave the office due to another rainstorm. Ah, Nicaragua.
Hope this letter finds you all happy and well.
Until next time,
Alejandra Margarita
While I was there, I visited the touching ‘Galeria de Hereos y Martires’, a tribute to numerous children who died during the Sandinista struggle against the Somoza government, and run by the mothers of the deceased. I also enjoyed the Ruben Dario museum (Nicaragua’s beloved politician, poet and initiator of the modernist movement).
Here in town, I co-hosted a department (equivalent to a province/ state) -wide heavy metal radio program,and spoke about the Montreal massacre (whereby 14 women were shot at the University). Have taken up boxing with a group of feisty Nica boys and enjoy taking out my frustrations with machismo at its source. Also visited the nearby Rio Limon where I saw an enormous Masacate, one of Nicaragua’s most poisonous snakes, as well as giant Mimosa (or ‘sensitive plant’) bushes whose leaves curled like dominoes when Istroked them, and held furry violet flowers omitting a lovely perfume. To add a little more spice to small-town life, there was a lunatic waving around a loaded gun half a block from my house the other morning.
This past weekend I went on an overnight horseback riding trip in Miraflor, a cloudforest nature reserve. The excursion was run by a cooperative of rural Nicaraguans and we stayed a farmhouse high up in the mountains. Enjoyed touring an old Mayan village as well as viewing wild orchids and an enormous hollow parasitic tree. Did not, however, enjoy falling off my galloping horse onto my face (am now the proud owner of my first black eye).
Work is going well. I feel much more adapted to the culture although there will always be certain things I could never get used to. Case example: Yesterday I journeyed to the city of Esteli to research rural water filtration systems. While I was there I got hit on countless times by businessmen and engineers, all of the electricity in the entire city went out for the day, and my bus broke down on the way home so I had to wait for an hour outside in a thunderstorm in the middle of the mountains. In fact, at the moment, the electricity in Somoto just went out and I am unable to leave the office due to another rainstorm. Ah, Nicaragua.
Hope this letter finds you all happy and well.
Until next time,
Alejandra Margarita
posted by Alix at 6:41 PM
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